GEOGRAPHY OF THAILAND
Located at the center of peninsular Southeast Asia and bordered by Myanmar (Burma) and Andaman Sea to the west, Laos to northeast, Cambodia to the southeast, the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia to the south, Thailand an oddly shaped country covering 513,120 square kilometers (198,456 square miles), which is roughly the size of Texas or Spain. It is the 50th largest country in the world
Formerly known as Siam, Thailand extends almost two-thirds down the Malay Peninsula. Roughly 20 percent of Thailand is covered by mountains and hills, the steepness of which generally precludes agriculture. As of 2005, rich arable land accounted for nearly 27.5 percent of the total area. About 6.9 percent was planted to permanent crops. Most of the prime arable land is in the central and eastern part of the country, where rice and other crops are grown on the vast, wet alluvial plains around Bangkok and the Chao Phrava River. About 1.5 percent of Thailand is covered by grasslands and 28.6 percent is occupied by forests and woods.
Thailand is shaped like the head of elephant. The trunk, which extends southward from Bangkok to the mountains near Malaysian border, is noted for its dense rain forests, limestone formations and beaches. The northwest part of the country (the forehead) is covered by misty, green mountains, the highest of which are just over 2000 meters (6,560 feet) high. Rising up from the Cambodian border is the Khorat plateau (the ears of the elephant), which occupies third of the country. Northeast Thailand is dominated by the mighty Mekong river, which flows into Cambodia along the Thailand-Laos border. The fertile central part of Thailand, which includes Bangkok, is dominated by the Chao Phraya River.
Thailand lies in the middle of mainland Southeast Asia. It controls the only land route from Asia to Malaysia and Singapore. The nation's axial position influenced many aspects of Thailand's society and culture. The earliest speakers of the Tai language migrated from what is now China, following rivers into northern Thailand and southward to the Mae Nam (river) Chao Phraya Valley. The fertile floodplain and tropical monsoon climate, ideally suited to wet-rice (thamna) cultivation, attracted settlers to this central area rather than to the marginal uplands and mountains of the northern region or the Khorat Plateau to the northeast. By the twelfth century, a number of loosely connected rice-growing and trading states flourished in the upper Chao Phraya Valley. [Source: Library of Congress*]
Starting in the middle of the fourteenth century, these central chiefdoms gradually came under the control of the kingdom of Ayutthaya at the southern extremity of the floodplain. Successive capitals, built at various points along the river, became centers of great Thai kingdoms based on rice cultivation and foreign commerce. Unlike the neighboring Khmer and Burmese, the Thai continued to look outward across the Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman Sea toward foreign ports of trade. When European imperialism brought a new phase in Southeast Asian commerce in the late 1800s, Thailand (known then as Siam) was able to maintain its independence as a buffer zone between British-controlled Burma to the west and French-dominated Indochina to the east. *
Geography Data for Thailand
Area: total: square kilo 513,120 meters (198,117 square miles); land: 510,890 square kilometers (197, 256 square miles); water: 2,230 square kilometers (861 square miles). Thailand is about three times the size of Florida; slightly more than twice the size of Wyoming. Geographic coordinates: 15 00 N, 100 00 E. Elevation: highest point: Doi Inthanon 2,565 meters (8,415 feet); lowest point: Gulf of Thailand 0 meters; mean elevation: 287 meters. [Source: CIA World Factbook]
Size estimates vary. Official Thai sources report 513,115 square kilometers. In teh past U.S. government sources stated that Thailand had a total of 511,770 square kilometers of land area and 2,230 square kilometers (5,134 miles) of water area for a total of 514,000 square kilometers. [Source: Library of Congress]
Land use: agricultural land: 43.8 percent (2023 estimate); arable land: 31 percent (2023 estimate); permanent crops: 11.2 percent (2023 estimate); permanent pasture: 1.6 percent (2023 estimate); forest: 39 percent (2023 estimate); other: 17.2 percent (2023 estimate). Arable land is land cultivated for crops like wheat, maize, and rice that are replanted after each harvest. Permanent crops is land cultivated for crops like fruit trees oranges that are not replanted after each harvest. Irrigated land: 64,150 square kilometers (24,768 square miles) (2012).
Population distribution: highest population density is found in and around Bangkok; significant population clusters throughout large parts of the country, particularly north and northeast of Bangkok and in the extreme southern region of the country.
In length from north to south Thailand measures about 1,260 kilometers (783 miles) from the northernmost point at Mae Sai district in Chiang Rai province to the southernmost point at Betong district, Yala province. In width Thailand measures 780 kilometers (485 miles) from the westernmost point at Sangkhla Buri district in Kanchanaburi province to the easternmost point at Sirindhorn district in Ubon Ratchathani province. [Source: Thailand Foreign Office, The Government Public Relations Department]
Administrative divisions: 76 provinces ( changwat , singular and plural) and 1 municipality* ( maha nakhon ); Amnat Charoen, Ang Thong, Bueng Kan, Buri Ram, Chachoengsao, Chai Nat, Chaiyaphum, Chanthaburi, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Chon Buri, Chumphon, Kalasin, Kamphaeng Phet, Kanchanaburi, Khon Kaen, Krabi, Krung Thep* (Bangkok), Lampang, Lamphun, Loei, Lop Buri, Mae Hong Son, Maha Sarakham, Mukdahan, Nakhon Nayok, Nakhon Pathom, Nakhon Phanom, Nakhon Ratchasima, Nakhon Sawan, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Nan, Narathiwat, Nong Bua Lamphu, Nong Khai, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Pattani, Phangnga, Phatthalung, Phayao, Phetchabun, Phetchaburi, Phichit, Phitsanulok, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, Phrae, Phuket, Prachin Buri, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Ranong, Ratchaburi, Rayong, Roi Et, Sa Kaeo, Sakon Nakhon, Samut Prakan, Samut Sakhon, Samut Songkhram, Saraburi, Satun, Sing Buri, Si Sa Ket, Songkhla, Sukhothai, Suphan Buri, Surat Thani, Surin, Tak, Trang, Trat, Ubon Ratchathani, Udon Thani, Uthai Thani, Uttaradit, Yala, Yasothon. [Source: CIA World Factbook]
Geography of Southeast Asia
Much of what is considered Southeast Asia sits on a peninsula that juts out from below China. Its forest have traditionally been the source of teak and sandalwood and its mines have traditionally been sources of rubies and sapphires. Today it produces much of the world’s rubber, palm oil, coffee, tea and rice.
Southeast Asia was known in the past as Indochina, especially during the colonial period and afterwards. Six important rivers flow through the region, including the Irrawaddy in Myanmar; the Mekong in Thailand, Laos and Vietnam; and the Red River in Vietnam. Many Southeast Asians live along the water. Floating markets, coastal kampong villages and houses on stilts are all fixtures of the region.
Southeast Asia lies at the convergence pint of three continental plates: the Eurasian Plate. the Indo-Australia Plate and the Philippine Sea Plate. Much of Southeast Asia was created when frgm,enst broke off of the supercontinent Gondwanaland 400 million years ago and were pushed dup against the Asian continent 200 million years ago. When the Indian subcontinent began colliding with Asia about 55 million years ago and pushing up the Himalayas it also pushed mountain ranges in Southeast Asia.
While the Indian subcontinent was pushing against Asia, climate changes caused sea levels to rise and fall creating land bridges the appeared when the water was low and disappeared when it rose. These changes shaped the landscape along eth costs and played a big part in how animals and plant were dispersed and new species were created.
During the last set of Ice Ages main of the islands in Southeast Asia were connected to the mainland by land bridges.
Location and Borders of Thailand
Thailand lies on the Eurasian Tectonic Plate at the center of continental Southeast Asia. Bangkok has about the same latitude as Manila, Madras, Guatemala and Khartoum. The longest north-south distance is about 1,900 kilometers (1,180 miles) but Thailand’s unusual shape makes distances between any two destinations 1,000 kilometers (630 miles) or less. Because the entire country spans 16 latitudinal degrees there is a relatively large variation in climate, giving Thailand perhaps the most diverse climate in Southeast Asia.
Land boundaries: total: 5,673 kilometers (3,525miles); border countries (4): Burma 2,416 kilometers (1,501 miles); Cambodia 817 kilometers (508 miles); Laos 1,845 kilometers (1,146 miles); Malaysia 595 kilometers (370 miles). Coastline: 3,219 kilometers (2,000 miles). Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nautical miles (22.2 kilometers); exclusive economic zone: 200 nautical miles (370 kilometers); continental shelf: 200-meter depth or to the depth of exploitation.
The south coast of Thailand faces the Gulf of Thailand, while the Isthmus of Kra is bordered on the west by the Andaman Sea and on the east by the Gulf of Thailand. Thailand also has coastal islands in the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand. The largest, with provincial status, is Phuket, off the west coast; on the gulf side, the largest islands are Samui and Pangan. The coastline is 3,219 kilometers (2,000 miles) long: 750 kilometers (466 miles) on the Andaman Sea and 2,469 kilometers (198,456 square miles) on the Gulf of Thailand. The Andaman Sea on the east side of Thailand and Myanmar connects to the Indian Ocean. The Gulf of Thailand south of Bangkok connects with the Pacific Ocean.
Topography and Land Cover of Thailand
The most conspicuous features of Thailand's terrain are high mountains, a central plain, and an upland plateau. Mountains cover much of northern Thailand and extend along the Burmese border down through the Malay Peninsula. The central plain is a lowland area drained by the Chao Phraya and its tributaries, the country's principal river system, which feeds into the delta at the head of the Bight of Bangkok. The Chao Phraya system drains about one-third of the nation's territory. The central plain, has highly developed irrigation systems in this region support a large population.
The sprawling metropolis of Bangkok, the focal point of the country's trade, transportation and industrial activity, is situated on the southern edge of the plains at the head of the Gulf of Thailand. In the northeastern part of the country the Khorat Plateau, a region of gently rolling low hills and shallow lakes, drains into the Mekong River through the Mae Nam Mun. The Mekong system empties into the South China Sea and includes a series of canals and dams. Together, the Chao Phraya and Mekong systems sustain Thailand's agricultural economy by supporting wet-rice cultivation and providing waterways for the transport of goods and people. In contrast, the distinguishing natural features of peninsular Thailand are long coastlines, offshore islands, and diminishing mangrove swamps.
Topography and drainage define four main regions: north, northeast, central, and south. In the north, the chief topographic features are high mountains along the borders with Burma and Laos and extending down the Isthmus of Kra to the southern border with Malaysia. The central plain, which extends to the Gulf of Thailand, is a lowland area drained by the Chao Phraya and its tributary rivers.
The upland Khorat Plateau in the northeast drains into the River Mun. The narrow, tropical Isthmus of Kra runs from mainland Thailand to the border with peninsular Malaysia. It has a low-lying range of hills at the narrowest part, about 600 meters in elevation. The highest point is Doi Inthanon, in Chiang Mai Province in northwestern Thailand, at 2,565 meters above sea level. The lowest point is along the Gulf of Thailand at zero meters above sea level.
In the dry northeast, scrub grassland is prevalent. Weed-like grasslands are common in the north, where forests have been repeatedly burned for agricultural clearance. Local and foreign aid groups are attempting to reforest some of these areas. Types of forest in Thailand include mangrove, monsoon, evergreen rainforest, montane and coniferous forests. Tree plantations of commercial species such as eucalyptus and rubber also exist, but they are environmentally controversial. Khao Yai National Park, located approximately 124 miles (200 kilometres) north of Bangkok, boasts natural grasslands that serve as vital habitats for tigers, elephants, and deer.
The hill regions of Thailand include the countryside surrounding the northern city of Chiang Mai, the gem-mining region in the southeast near the Cambodian border, and the picturesque limestone outcrops along the southern peninsula and on the islands. The Chaem River has carved the narrow, rocky Ob Luang Gorge in northwestern Thailand. Near the town of Phrae, Phae Mueang Phi consists of unusual rock formations created by erosion and weathering. Another erosional feature, Sao Din Canyon, is located in the Nan Valley of northern Thailand and contains earth pillars and canyon-like formations shaped by natural erosion processes.
Mountains, Highlands and Plateaus of Thailand
Mountain ranges cover much of northern Thailand and extend along the country's western border with Myanmar, forming the mountainous backbone of the Malay Peninsula. Northern Thailand consists of high mountains, steep river valleys, and upland areas that border the central plain. Thailand's highest mountain is Doi Inthanon, a limestone peak that rises to 2,576 meters (8,451 feet) above sea level. [Source: Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of Physical Geography, Gale Group, Inc., 2003]
Several major mountain chains form Thailand's borders and interior highlands. In the north, the Tanen and Doi Luang ranges are extensions of the Himalayan foothills. In western Thailand are the Dawna and Bilauktaung ranges, while the Dangrek and Chanthaburi ranges lie along the border with Cambodia in the east. The Phetchabun Range extends north to south through central Thailand and separates the Khorat Plateau from other regions of the country. In southern Thailand, the Malay Peninsula is characterized by rolling hills and mountain ranges with few large rivers.
Khorat Plateau dominates Northeastern Thailand. It is a broad upland region that lies between 60 and 210 meters (200 and 700 feet) above sea level. The plateau consists mainly of gently rolling terrain with low hills and shallow lakes and is drained primarily by the Mun River, a tributary of the Mekong River. The plateau is bordered by mountains on the west and south, while the Mekong River forms much of its eastern boundary. The region is relatively dry and is known for having generally poor soils. Several prominent mesas are located in the northern part of the plateau. Phu Kradueng rises to 1,360 meters (4,462 feet) and has forested slopes with savanna vegetation on its summit. Other notable mesas include Phu Wiang and Phu Khiao.
Karst Landscapes in Thailand
Karst topography is a type of landscape formed by the dissolution of soluble rocks such as limestone, dolomite, and gypsum. Rainwater absorbs carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and soil, creating a weak carbonic acid. As this slightly acidic water moves through cracks in the rock, it gradually dissolves the bedrock, enlarging fractures and creating caves, sinkholes, underground streams, and other distinctive landforms. Over long periods of time, extensive underground drainage systems and dramatic surface features develop.
Karst landscapes are widespread in Thailand and cover about 18 percent of the country's land area. They are found mainly in the southern and western regions and are formed largely from ancient marine limestone deposits. These areas are characterized by steep limestone hills, isolated rock towers, caves, cliffs, sinkholes, and enclosed valleys.
Major Karst Regions include Ao Phang Nga National Park, which is noted for its tower karst formations, with steep limestone islands rising directly from the waters of Phang Nga Bay. Notable features include Ko Tapu, often called James Bond Island, and Ko Hong, both of which contain sea caves and limestone cliffs.Railay Beach and nearby Phra Nang Beach in Krabi Province are surrounded by heavily eroded limestone formations. The region contains high sea cliffs, caves, hidden lagoons, and extensive karst terrain both along the coast and inland. Khao Sok National Park contains some of Thailand's most extensive karst scenery. The park features steep limestone mountains, dense rainforest, and the flooded limestone towers that rise from Cheow Lan Lake.
In western and northern Thailand, limestone mountain ranges extend along the border with Myanmar. One of the best-known cave systems is Tham Lot Cave, where a river flows through large underground chambers. The Khorat Plateau in northeastern Thailand contains landscapes sometimes described as pseudokarst. These landforms differ from true limestone karst because they were formed primarily through the erosion of sandstone rather than the dissolution of limestone.
Thailand's limestone formations originated from the accumulated skeletal remains of marine organisms deposited in shallow seas hundreds of millions of years ago. Subsequent uplift and erosion exposed these limestone layers at the surface. The country's tropical monsoon climate promotes rapid chemical weathering. High temperatures, abundant rainfall, and humid conditions accelerate the dissolution of limestone, producing karst features at a relatively fast rate compared with many subtropical regions. Karst environments support specialized ecosystems. Many caves provide habitat for bats and other cave-dwelling animals, while isolated limestone hills often contain unique plant and animal species adapted to the distinctive terrain and microclimates.
Rivers and Lakes of Thailand
Thailand's principal rivers are the Mekong, Ping, and Chao Phraya all of which play central roles in Thailand's agriculture and inland transportation.. The Chao Phraya River, which flows through Bangkok, is the country's most important river system. Together with its tributaries, it drains about one-third of Thailand's territory and flows south into a delta at Bangkok before emptying into the Gulf of Thailand. The Chao Phraya River is about 230 kilometers (143 miles) long. Its network of tributaries and canals supports wet-rice cultivation and serves as an important transportation system. The Chao Phraya basin is one of Thailand's most productive agricultural regions. [Source: Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of Physical Geography, Gale Group, Inc., 2003]
The Mekong (Mae Nam Khong) is shared with China,, Myanmar Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam. It is 4,350 kilometers (2,703 miles) long. It drains into the Pacific Ocean and has a drainage area of 805,604 square kilometers (311,045 square miles). The Salween is shared with China and Myanmar. It is 3,060 kilometers (1900 miles) long. It drains into the Indian Ocean and has a drainage are 271,914 square kilometers (104,986 square miles). The Mun River, about 644 kilometers (400 miles) long, is the largest river in northeastern Thailand. It flows into the Mekong River, as does its major tributary, the Chi River. Rapids and waterfalls in Laos and Cambodia prevent continuous navigation from Thailand down the Mekong to the sea. [Source: CIA World Factbook]
Thailand's largest inland body of water is Thale Sap Songkhla, which covers about 1,040 square kilometers (401 square miles). Located on the southern peninsula, it is a lagoon lake connected to the Gulf of Thailand by a narrow inlet. The lake contains a mixture of fresh and brackish water, and two waterfowl sanctuaries are located along its shores. Another important lake is Bueng Nong Han, a freshwater lake in northeastern Thailand with an area of about 32 square kilometers (12 square miles). Thailand also contains several large man-made reservoirs that provide water storage, irrigation, and hydroelectric power.
Mekong River
The Mekong River forms much of Thailand's border with Laos. At approximately 4,350 kilometers (2,700 miles) in length, it is the longest river in Southeast Asia. The river drains eastern Thailand and parts of northern Thailand before flowing through Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam and eventually reaching the South China Sea.
The Mekong River is one of the world's great rivers. Originating in Tibet, not far from the source of the Yangtze River, it tumbles down through the Himalayas and southern China into Southeast Asia and flows along the borders of Laos, Burma and Thailand through the heart of the Golden Triangle into Cambodia, where it flows in one direction in the wet season and the opposite direction in the dry season. It finally empties into the South China Sea at the Mekong Delta in Vietnam. Its source in Tibet as not discovered until 1994.
The Mekong River is shared by China, Thailand, Myanmar Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam and goes by many names. It is known as Lancang Jiang (Turbulent River) in China, the Mae Nam Khong in Thailand, Myanmar and Laos, Tonle Than (Great Waters) in Cambodia and Cuu Long (Nine Dragons) in Vietnam. It is also known as River of Stone, Dragon Running River, Mother River Khong, and Big Water.
The Mekong is the longest river in Southeast Asia, the 12th longest in the world and the 10th largest in terns of volume. With about half of its length in China, it flows for 4,350 kilometers (2,703 miles) and provides food and water for 60 million people and disgorges 475 billion cubic meters of water each year into the South China Sea and the Pacific Ocean. It has a drainage area of 805,604 square kilometers (311,045 square miles).
RELATED ARTICLES:
MEKONG RIVER: ITS ROUTE, FLOW, HYDROLOGY factsanddetails.com
MEKONG RIVER BIODIVERSITY: DOLPHINS, GIANT FISH AND NEW SPECIES factsanddetails.com
MEKONG RIVER AND PEOPLE: HISTORY, REGIONAL IMPORTANCE AND TRANSPORT factsanddetails.com
MEKONG DELTA, AGRICULTURE, GLOBAL WARMING AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS factsanddetails.com
MEKONG RIVER PROBLEMS: DEVELOPMENT, CHINA, LAWLESSNESS AND POLLUTION factsanddetails.com
DAMS ON THE MEKONG RIVER AND ITS TRIBUTARIES factsanddetails.com
Seas and Islands of Thailand
Thailand's southwestern coast borders the Andaman Sea, which is part of the Indian Ocean. The country's south-central coast and the eastern coast of the Malay Peninsula border the Gulf of Thailand, which is connected to the Pacific Ocean through the South China Sea. Water depths in the Gulf of Thailand generally range from 30 to 80 meters (98 to 262 feet). Thailand has approximately 2,130 square kilometers (822 square miles) of coral reefs. An estimated 96 percent of these reefs are considered threatened due to factors such as dynamite fishing, pollution, oil spills, shrimp farming, and tourism-related activities.[Source: Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of Physical Geography, Gale Group, Inc., 2003]
The Strait of Malacca lies between the Malay Peninsula and the Indonesian island of Sumatra. It connects the Andaman Sea with the South China Sea and is one of the world's major shipping routes. The Gulf of Thailand includes Mae Klong Bay, which extends inland to the mouth of the Chao Phraya River near Bangkok. Phang Nga Bay is located on the western coast of the Malay Peninsula near Phuket. The bay contains numerous small islands, limestone formations, and caves.
Thailand's three largest islands are Phuket, with an area of 543 square kilometers (210 square miles) in the Andaman Sea; Ko Samui, with an area of 240 square kilometers (93 square miles) in the Gulf of Thailand; and Ko Chang, with an area of 219 square kilometers (85 square miles) in the Gulf of Thailand off the southeastern coast. Other islands in the Andaman Sea include the Similan Islands, the Phi Phi Islands, Ko Lanta, and the Tarutao group, which forms a marine park consisting of about 50 islands. Islands in the Gulf of Thailand include Ko Samet, Ko Tao, and Ko Pha Ngan. Many islands have been developed for tourism, while others are protected as national parks or marine reserves.
Coastal Features and Wetlands of Thailand
The Isthmus of Kra connects mainland Thailand to the southern Malay Peninsula and is about 24 kilometers (15 miles) wide at its narrowest point. Proposals have been made to construct either a canal or a transportation corridor across the isthmus to connect the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand.
Thailand's Andaman Sea coastline extends from the border with Myanmar southward to the border with Malaysia and is bordered by numerous offshore islands. Phuket lies south of a headland that shelters Phang Nga Bay. The Gulf of Thailand coastline extends eastward to the Cambodian border and southwestward to the Malaysian border. Both the eastern and western coasts contain numerous beaches and natural harbors used by fishing vessels.
Several sites in Thailand have been designated as Wetlands of International Importance under the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands. Bung Khong Long, located in the north near Nong Khai, is home to several endemic fish species. Don Hai Lot, in the south on Mae Klong Bay, is home to a rare ecosystem of intertidal mudflats. The Princess Sirindhorn Wildlife Sanctuary (Pru To Daeng), a large, biodiverse peat swamp forest, is located near Narathiwat and the Malaysian border. Kuan Ki Sian, near Thale Sap Songkla, boasts a diverse freshwater ecosystem, while Nong Bong Kai in the north is an important bird habitat. [Source: Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of Physical Geography, Gale Group, Inc., 2003]
Thailand’s Border Disputes
A dispute between Thailand and Laos over MeKong River islands continues to delay completion of an agreement on the demarcation of their boundary. Thailand has significant differences with Burma over the alignment of their boundary. There are disputed sections of the Thai-Cambodia border where border markers are missing. Land mines, the remnants of former conflicts, are still to be found—sometimes with lethal consequences—along Thailand’s borders with Cambodia and Laos. Although Thailand has no actual border dispute with Malaysia, terrorist and insurgent activities in the frontier area lead to frequent border closures and tight security. Thailand controls the only land route from Asia to Malaysia and Singapore. [Source: Library of Congress, 2007]
1) Border shared with Myanmar: 10 provinces: Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai, Mae Hong Son, Tak, Kanchanaburi, Ratchaburi, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Chumphon, and Ranong. 2) Border shared with Laos: 10 provinces: Chiang Rai, Phayao, Nan,Uttaradit, Phitsanulok, Loei, Nong Khai, Nakhon Phanom, Mukdahan, and Ubon Ratchathani 3) Border shared with Cambodia: seven provinces: Ubon Ratchathani, Si Sa Ket, Surin, Buriram, Prachin Buri, Chanthaburi, and Trat. 4) Border shared with Malaysia Four provinces: Satun, Songkhla, Yala, and Narathiwat [Source: Thailand Foreign Office, The Government Public Relations Department]
Although neither China nor Vietnam bordered Thailand, the territory of both countries came within 100 kilometers of Thai territory. Many parts of Thailand's boundaries followed natural features, such as the Mekong River. Most borders had been stabilized and demarcated in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries in accordance with treaties forced on Thailand and its neighbors by Britain and France. In some areas, however, exact boundaries, especially along Thailand's eastern borders with Laos and Cambodia, were still in dispute in the late 1980s. [Source: Library of Congress, 1987 *]
Disputes with Cambodia after 1950 arose in part from ill-defined boundaries; the most notable case was a dispute over the Preah Vihear Temple area submitted to the International Court of Justice, which ruled in favor of Cambodia in 1962. During the years that the Cambodian capital, Phnom Penh, was controlled by the Khmer Rouge regime of Pol Pot (1975-79), the border disputes continued. In the early 1980s, the People's Republic of Kampuchea and its mentor, Vietnam, made an issue of boundaries in Prachin Buri Province in eastern Thailand. In contrast to these incidents, which attracted international attention, boundary disputes with Malaysia and Burma were usually handled more cooperatively.
Continuing mineral exploration and fishing in the Gulf of Thailand, however, were sources of potential conflict with both neighbors. Adding to general border tensions were the activities of communist-led insurgents, whose operations had been of paramount concern to the Thai government and its security forces for several decades. The problem of communist insurgency was compounded by the activity of what the Thai government labeled "antistate elements." Often the real source of border problems was ordinary criminals or local merchants involved in illegal mining, logging, smuggling, and narcotics production and trade. *
Image Sources: Wikimedia Commons
Text Sources: Tourist Authority of Thailand, Thailand Foreign Office, The Government Public Relations Department, CIA World Factbook,, National Geographic, Smithsonian magazine, New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Library of Congress, “Encyclopedia of World Cultures Volume 5: East/Southeast Asia:” edited by Paul Hockings, 1993; Encyclopedia.com, Live Science, “Culture Shock! Thailand” by Robert Cooper, Marshall Cavendish International, 2008; “Thai Customs and Etiquette” by Marlene Zefferys, Marshall Cavendish, 2009The Conversation, The Guardian, BBC, CNN, Reuters, Associated Press, AFP, Lonely Planet Guides, Google AI, Wikipedia, and various websites, books and other publications.
Last updated June 2026